Moscow - Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria will be in action this week in the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) World Cup 2018 in Russia, as Africa begins its quest to produce a winner.

No African team has ever won the tournament since its inception in 1930.

On Friday, Egypt play Uruguay at the Ekaterinburg Arena in Ekaterinburg.

That match kicks off at 14h00 Egyptian time.

Morocco follow suit against Iran at Saint Petersburg Stadium in Russia’s second largest city.

Kickoff is at 17h00 Moroccan time.

On Saturday, Nigeria lock horns with Croatia at the Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad at 21h00 West African time.

On Monday, Tunisia will play England at Volgograd Arena in Volgograd. The encounter kicks off at 20h00.

Other matches set for Monday include the encounter between Sweden and Korea Republic at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod (14h00). Dark horses Belgium and Panama complete the Monday clashes at Fisht Stadium in Sochi.

Senegal, quarterfinalists in 2002, complete Africa's representatives on Tuesday when they play against Poland at 17h00.

The Southern Times is a SADC regional newspaper which circulates throughout the Southern Africa region. Launched in September 2004, the newspaper is a 50-50 joint venture between New Era Publications Corporation of Namibia and Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Limited. It seeks to report stories from a pan-African perspective, and promote Africa values with Africans telling their own stories from politics, business, arts, entertainment, culture, travel and tourism, and sports.

The Southern Times is headquartered in Windhoek, Namibia, and has offices in Harare, Zimbabwe. It has correspondents stationed in most of the 16-member SADC countries – from Angola to Zimbabwe - who contribute articles.